


Shores o' Gold

by Nathalaia



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Fantasy, Flash Fic, I am Pirate Legend in Sea of Thieves, Inspired by Sea of Thieves, Jongdae's Birthday Week 2020, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence, Pirates, is it obvious?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:00:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26405386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nathalaia/pseuds/Nathalaia
Summary: Yixing is smiling gently at him, and under his breath he sings so fervently,“Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for me…”
Relationships: Kim Jongdae | Chen/Zhang Yi Xing | Lay
Comments: 10
Kudos: 16
Collections: Challenge #7 — Out of Order





	Shores o' Gold

The sky will be bedecked with tiny shimmering jewels bringing to mind the treasures they abandoned in the Gold Hoarder’s catacombs by the time they reach the sandy beaches of the Shores of Gold, chests heaving and legs trembling. They both draw relieved breaths and flop down onto the sand.

There will not be much relief to be found for there is nothing left waiting for them here.

They have seen their crewmates ripped apart by traps and vengeful skeletons in their quest to reach the rumoured treasures of the Gold Hoarder. The wreck of the _Bloody Fate_ is forever lost at the bottom of the sea. 

(How does one go about defeating a ghost ship?)

Curious how the tales were true but no longer inspires the same thrill.

The waves lap at their feet as Yixing picks up the hat by his side and, after a moment of remembering the man who wore it proudly, puts it on his head. The gash in his gut is deep and will not stop bleeding, but still he smiles wryly and says to Jongdae, to the treacherous sea as if in defiance, “Guess I’m captain now.”

The journey here will be difficult and fraught with challenges and grief that none of them will foresee, but they _make it_. No other crew can boast of such daring or prowess. No other crew can say they solved the riddles of the fabled _Shores of Gold_. 

Jongdae licks at his bruised lip and looks askance at Yixing. “What now, Captain?”

“Now?” Yixing looks up at the sky. A smile still graces his handsome face, but it has turned wistful. The ragged quality to his voice betrays his fatigue as he whispers, “Now, we have ahead of us a brand-new journey.”

Jongdae will reach for Yixing’s bloodied hand. He will grasp it tightly between his own, knowing no natural heat can stave off the chill clinging to Yixing bones, and he will say, “Give us until daylight.”

And Yixing will close his eyes and concede, “Until daylight.” 

☠🏴☠

Befriending the group of sailors was easy; cheating them off their coins was almost easier. Jongdae rolled the dice to the rambunctious cheers of his new friends and laughed when they groaned at the results.

(The pathetic stump that remained of his left ring finger served as a harsh reminder of what would happen should anyone ever catch him with his hands in another’s pockets again.)

The sailors were talking brashly about their voyages at sea when the self-appointed card shuffler and dealer (because they lost a few too many a die to drunk flailing) hushed them with a raised hand. “I heard Captain Ajita docked early this mornin’.”

Jongdae had heard only whispers of this captain and his crew, so his interest was instantly piqued. “That someone I oughta know?”

“Oi, lad,” one of the men slurred and sloppily raised his tankard towards Jongdae in a toast. “Captain’s fearsome, aye, with a rowdy crew. Always dressed in finest silks and speak like one of ‘em silver-tongued lords from the mainland. Vessel’s the _Bloody Fate_ , a damn sight fer sore eyes _._ ”

“Nay,” another declared loudly, “one ye should watch out fer is their powder master. Hideous lass, but she’ll blow yer brains out and drink to whatever remains.”

“No,” Card Dealer murmured, “the most dangerous of ‘em is the quartermaster. They say he's cunning as a fox and fickle like one o’ them mermaids; a skilled swordsman and a hella good shot to boot. Wouldn't wanna mess with ‘im.”

Jongdae listened with rapt attention, but eventually the talks drifted towards other topics and Jongdae took his cue to bid the sailors adieu. His pockets were full, but Jongdae felt not a shred of remorse.

Here it was every man for himself, after all.

Hence, when someone seized his wrist just as he crossed the threshold, hard-earned reflexes kicked in. He was rewarded with a spinning head as the stranger twisted his arm onto his back and firmly pinned him front-first against the doorframe.

“Easy there, Thief,” a smooth voice murmured. “Some gall you’ve got. Wouldn’t try that again if I were you.”

“Dunno what you’re on about,” Jongdae bit out as he tried to catch a glimpse of his captor. He saw only two hooded eyes and a sly grin before he was brusquely dragged sideways and released.

“Ah, but I think you do,” the man crooned as Jongdae hastily turned around to face him ( _back to the enemy was begging for the knife_ ). He wasn’t entirely pleased to find himself trapped between the man’s arms (but whoah, _buff_ ). “They suspected you of nothing in there.”

“Who are you?” Jongdae demanded, eyes inertly drawn to the jagged scar that ran across the man’s right eye.

The man considered the question as he studied Jongdae intensely. Jongdae was all-too-aware of the heat in his groin at the flash of something dark and lustful in the man’s gaze, so fleeting he thought for a second he had imagined it (and wouldn’t that have been pathetic). 

Seemingly pleased with what he saw, the man’s eyes positively twinkled when he said, “Yixing, at your service. Quartermaster of the _Bloody Fate_.” He scooted closer, close enough for Jongdae to feel his breath fan across his lips, and as if sharing a secret, Yixing said, “Care to join me for a drink?”

Screw the pathetic stump of his left ring finger; he’d gladly offer up the entire hand for a taste of those smirking lips.

☠🏴☠

They met one hot summer eve; a few days short of a year later, Jongdae boards the _Bloody Fate_ as a member of her proud crew.

Yixing, the _Bloody Fate_ ’s beautiful _,_ _dangerous_ , quartermaster, stands next to him at the railings as the waves lash mercilessly at the bottom of the ship.

Yixing is smiling gently at him, and under his breath he sings so fervently, “ _Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for me…_ ”

This is the beginning.

**Author's Note:**

> IMPORTANT THING I HAD TO ERASE FROM THE FIC ‘CAUSE LIMITS SUCK  
> 1: “Navigator’s insane. Rumour has it she owns a compass that always points towards the Kraken.”  
> An unanimously shudder went through the gathered men, except the card dealer who was staring at Jongdae with a grim look.
> 
> Plus some descriptive shit I thought was funny, but alas ): (The song in the end is actually a nod to a song I wrote with my friend.)
> 
> More stuff might end up here once the authors have been revealed!
> 
> Thanks for reading, my lovelies ❤


End file.
